Global Boycott Against Hyatt Continues, Gains Supporters

Long hours doing physical work with low pay, filthy conditions, lack of health insurance, short-term contracts, sexual and racist harassment—this is what Hyatt hotel workers are fighting back against.

The “Hyatt Hurts” campaign continues this week, with support from the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) and virtually every union representing hotel workers worldwide. Additionally, nearly 5,000 individuals and organizations have pledged to honor boycotts.

The global boycott was announced Monday, July 23, at a press conference in Washington, D.C., with leaders from the NFL Players Association, the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and other progressive organizations. Protests took place last week in 20 U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Seattle and Boston.

At the press conference announcing the boycott, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka reminded the crowd that "without these courageous hard workers, none of the world's great summits, none of the world's great conventions, none of the day-to-day business [at hotels] could take place." The AFL-CIO has supported UNITEHERE!’s campaign to organize Hyatt workers for years, issuing an Executive Council statement two years ago recognizing the major challenges of trying to protect these workers and their right to organize.

To join the fight and protect Hyatt workers from exploitation, sign the petition.

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